Josephus, before becoming the great Jewish historian of the first century, led Jewish rebels against the Romans in defense of Jerusalem. But after the battle. . .

According to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, the Essenes, an ascetic sect living in Qumran, wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. But Josephus is far from reliable.

A recent attempt by scholars to rename the Jews of the Second Temple period as “Judeans” is both intellectually flawed and morally suspect.    

Several ancient historians attest that, long before destroying Judea, Rome allied with the Maccabees against the Seleucids. Archeological research supports the claim.